Method for the Assembly of Frustoconical Concrete Towers and Concrete Tower Assembled using said Method

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for the assembly of frustoconical concrete towers comprising a step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a tower section formed by at least two segments in an area close to the base of the tower, a step of assembling the subset of the tower section by attaching at least two segments, so that the assembled subset is freestanding and a step of stacking the assembled subset onto an immediately lower tower section.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for the assembly of frustoconical concrete towers which allows the use of low-capacity cranes, wherein a substructure is generated from the union of at least two of the segments that form each section so that said substructure is freestanding.

The invention further relates to a concrete tower assembled according the preceding method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the last twenty years the rated power of wind turbines has gradually increased by enlarging the diameter of their rotors, which in turn need taller towers. The increased height may imply that the tower should essentially comprise several sections throughout its entire height, placed one on top of the other to form the tower and which are in turn transportable by road or rail. For example, to build an 100 m-high tower, 5 20 m-sections stacked on top of each other may be used, such dimensions being transportable by road and rail.

Moreover, to ensure that the towers, although higher, are equally stable and rigid, one option is to increase the transverse dimensions of the tower gradually from the top to the base of the tower. This increase may involve new problems for the transportation of the sections and a common solution is to divide them into longitudinal modules. The dimensions of the longitudinal modules allow their transport by road or rail.

Logically, increasing the rated power of the wind turbines leads to an increase in weight and dimensions of all wind turbine components in general, so the following aspects are particularly relevant in connection with assembly costs:

-   -   Tower height;     -   Rotor diameter and weight of the blade-hub assembly;     -   Weight of nacelle and subcomponents;     -   Weight of tower sections.

Specifically, the weights of the full tower sections of a 3 MW wind turbine can exceed 200 t which places high requirements on assembly cranes.

The use of these cranes is expensive, first, because of availability problems entailing high daily rental costs: there is no large park of such cranes; and second, the high costs associated with their transport due to the large number of trucks required to move them. According to data shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,011,098B2, the cost of renting a crane for tower assembly can amount to $ 80,000 per week, plus nearly $100,000 for transport (forty trucks or more).

Such high costs justify the pursuit of alternative means to build wind turbine towers. Various procedures that can be followed for the assembly of these towers include:

-   -   Assembling the segments one by one onto the rest of the         installed tower, which is a problem when the segments are not         freestanding. This is the procedure used by other ATS (“antenna         tower structure”) manufacturers. This process requires a large         number of elevations and a complicated process for the         positioning and securing of the segments until a whole section         is formed on the one below it, for the subsequent execution of         the vertical joints and prior to stacking the segments of the         next section.     -   Pre-assembling complete sections by joining the segments,         executing vertical joints between them on the ground near the         base of the tower and subsequently mounting the sections one on         top of another. This procedure greatly facilitates tower         assembly, as most of the operations are conducted on the ground.         This is the procedure of U.S. Pat. No. 7,765,766B2. The assembly         process comprises two stages:         -   Section preassembly stage, in which the segments that form a             section are assembled at the base of the tower and the             vertical joints are executed between concrete segments, and         -   A lifting and piling stage in which the already preassembled             sections are placed one on top of another.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling concrete towers which reduces crane requirements for the first procedure, while simplifying the overall assembly process with respect to the second procedure.

Furthermore, the prior art shows that the concrete tower is often a conical section tower, particularly frustoconical to withstand the high torque in the base. Furthermore, in some tower designs segment height is much greater than tower height. This means that when the tower is conical, the segments are unstable when placed upright, because the horizontal projection of the centre of gravity is outside of the perimeter defined by the base of the segment.

These drawbacks are solved with the invention described below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for the assembly frustoconical concrete towers wherein subsets of sections are assembled and stacked on the rest of the tower, the said subsets being freestanding.

The invention also relates to a concrete tower obtained with the assembly method described below and which comprises at least two stacked annular sections in turn comprising at least three segments.

The frustoconical concrete tower assembly method comprises the following steps:

-   -   a step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a         tower section comprising at least two segments in an area close         to the base of the tower;     -   a step of assembling of the tower section subset by joining at         least two segments, such that the assembled subset is         freestanding; and     -   a step of stacking of the assembled subset onto a tower section         which is immediately below.

If the sections are solely formed by freestanding subsets, the preceding steps are repeated until all freestanding subsets forming all the sections of the concrete tower have been stacked.

If the sections are formed by freestanding subsets and remaining segments to complete the section of the concrete tower, the remaining segments also need to be stacked for each of the sections of the concrete tower.

Furthermore, to ensure adequate dimensional accuracy of the sections, the step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a tower section comprises the following steps prior to the subset assembly step:

-   -   a step of placing all the segments that form the tower section,         one by one, in the area near the base of the tower at ground         level;     -   a step of positioning each of the segments that form the tower         section relative to the adjacent segments so as to secure         dimensional tolerances of the finished section.

In addition, to ensure the same position as that achieved after the positioning step performed in the area near the base of the tower at ground level, of the remaining segments of the section that are not part of the subset relative to said subset, or of subsets relative to each other, once stacked, the method comprises, prior to the step of subset stacking and subsequent to the step of positioning each of the segments that form the tower section:

-   -   a step of arranging the elements controlling the relative         positioning between segments in areas of said segments which are         accessible from a tower platform, allowing a step for the         control of relative positioning between segments, step performed         subsequent to the step of stacking the section they form and         prior to stacking the section immediately above. Thus, said         positioning control elements are used to identify, prior to         stacking, the reference position of the remaining segments of         the section not comprised in the subset relative to said subset,         or of the reference position of subsets relative to each other.         Following the step of stacking the remaining segments with the         subset or of stacking subsets, the reference position identified         by the positioning control elements, allows the performance of         the step of controlling the relative positioning between         segments, ensuring that said remaining segments are positioned         relative to the subset according to the reference position         identified by the relative positioning elements, i.e., in the         same manner as in the area near the base of the tower at ground         level, or that the subsets are positioned relative to each other         in the same manner as in the area near the base of the tower at         ground level.

The method further comprises a step of provisional attachment between subsets or remaining segments and the lower section of the concrete tower once the step of stacking the assembled subset has been carried out and subsequent to the stage of control of relative positioning between segments described above.

The provisional attachment step is performed by means of temporary connections that can be executed by a three-point mooring of the surface in contact with the lower surface at the height of the horizontal joint defined between them or by means of struts to the area opposite the lower section.

The method further comprises a step of execution of the permanent connections between subsets, or between subsets and remaining segments, which takes place once completed the stacking of all subsets and remaining segments forming each section of concrete tower, which speeds up installation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the step of positioning, one at a time, all the segments that form a tower section in an area near the base of the tower of the method of the present invention according to a first preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the step of positioning each of the segments that form the tower section relative to the adjacent segments of the method of the present invention according to a first preferred embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the step of assembling a subset of the tower section formed by at least two adjacent segments of the method of the present invention according to a first preferred embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the step of stacking the assembled subset onto an immediately lower tower section of the method of the present invention according to a first preferred embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the step of attachment performed between the section subsets of the method of the present invention according to a first preferred embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the step of permanent attachment performed between the subsets of each section of the method of the present invention according to a first preferred embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the step of positioning, one at a time, all the segments that form a tower section in an area near the base of the tower of the method of the present invention according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the step of positioning each of the segments that form the tower section relative to the adjacent segments of the method of the present invention according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the step of assembling a subset of the tower section formed by at least two diametrically opposite segments of the method of the present invention according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 11 shows a plan view of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the step of stacking the assembled subset onto an immediately lower tower section of the method of the present invention according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of the step of attachment between the subset and the remaining segments of the section of the method of the present invention according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the step of permanent attachment performed between subsets and remaining segments of each section of the method of the present invention according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 15 shows an exploded view of the provisional attachments executed by three-point mooring of the surface in contact with the lower surface at the height of the horizontal joint defined between them of the step of provisional attachment between an upper section and a lower section.

FIG. 16 shows a plan view of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of the struts taken to the opposite side of the lower section used in the step a provisional connection between an upper section and a lower section.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method for the assembly of frustoconical concrete towers comprises the following steps:

-   -   a step of pre-assembly base (2, 12) preparation, wherein the         horizontality and flatness of said pre-assembly bases (2) are         ensured, further ensuring the verticality and taper of the         concrete tower;     -   a step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a         tower section formed by at least two segments in an area near         the base of the tower where in this preferred embodiment all the         segments (1, 11) that form the tower section are placed and         positioned one by one onto the pre-assembly bases (2, 12),         wherein the placing and positioning step comprises:         -   a step of placing one by one all the segments (1, 11)             forming the tower section in the area near the base of the             tower onto the pre-assembly bases (2, 12) at ground level;         -   a step of obtaining the verticality and taper of the             concrete tower for that section, by using struts or similar             means between the segments (1, 11) and the ground or             pre-assembly bases (2, 12), or by means of wedges or similar             means between the pre-assembly base (2, 12) and the lower             surface of the segments (1, 11), as sometimes due to             imperfections in the concrete, the angle between the side             walls and the lower wall of the segments (1, 11) is not the             proper angle; this step in turn comprises a step of             certifying tower verticality by means of a system of targets             with pointers or plumb lines enabling the correction of the             relative positions between segments (1, 11), and between             segments (1, 11) and pre-assembly bases (2, 12) where             necessary;         -   a step of positioning each of the segments (1) that form the             tower section relative to the adjacent segments (1) to             ensure the dimensional tolerances of the finished section;     -   a step of arranging control elements (3, 13) to control the         relative positioning between segments (1, 11) in areas of these         segments (1, 11) which may be accessed from tower platforms,         wherein said positioning control elements (3, 13) serve to         identify the position, prior to stacking, of the reference         position of the remaining segments (11) of the section that is         not part of the subset (14) relative to said subset (14), or of         the reference position of subsets (4) relative to each other;     -   a step of assembling a subset (4, 14) of the tower section         formed by at least two segments (1, 11), by joining said         segments (1, 11), such that the subset (4, 14) is freestanding;

The attachment between two segments (1, 11) may be permanent or provisional.

If the attachment is permanent (6), according to a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 for a subset (4) formed by at least two adjacent segments (1), mortar is used for permanent attachment (6) between segments (1) and it comprises a step of implementing the vertical joints between adjacent segments (1). For this purpose, formwork is arranged along the vertical sides of the segments (1) to contain the inner volume and then pour in the mortar.

If the attachment is provisional, according to a second preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 14 for a subset (14) formed by at least two segments (11) diametrically opposite each other, the attachment of said segments (11) is carried out by provisional attachment means (19) to provide rigidity and stability to the subset (14). The provisional attachment means (19) between segments (11) diametrically opposite each other is performed by means of beams or girders restricting relative movement between segments (11).

-   -   a step of stacking the assembled subset (4, 14) onto an         immediately lower tower section, comprising a step of         positioning the subset (4, 14) at height.

Because, due to manufacturing tolerances, there may be differences between segments (1, 11), the resulting upper surface is not always flat or horizontal. In a preferred embodiment, the step of positioning the subset (4, 14) at height is performed by conducting a replica of the horizontal surface of the pre-assembly base (2, 12) on the upper surface of the immediately lower tower section prior to the step of stacking the assembled subset (4, 14), by means of shims placed in three points per subset (4, 14) and/or segment (1, 11), at predetermined angular positions which are the same for all sections, wherein said shims are fixed to the segments (1, 11), wherein verticality control wedges are placed in those same angular positions where the shims are placed. Therefore, the sum of the horizontal surface defined by the shims and that of the wedges makes it possible to replicate the position achieved in the pre-assembly base (2, 12), once subsets (4, 14) have been stacked.

Alternatively, when the subset (4, 14) is stacked, a check is made to verify that the centre of the subset (4, 14) coincides with the vertical axis of the tower, otherwise it is adjusted to match. Subsequently, the other subset (4) is stacked, for the case of two subsets (4) per section, or the remaining segments (11), and the following step to control relative positioning between segments is implemented:

-   -   a step of controlling the relative positioning between segments         subsequent to the step of stacking the section they form and         prior to stacking the section immediately above by means of         positioning control elements (3, 13) arranged in the step of         arrangement of the control elements (3, 13) to control the         relative positioning between segments (1, 11) ensuring that the         remaining segments (11) of the section are positioned relative         to the subset (14) according to the reference position         identified by the relative positioning control elements (3, 13),         i.e., in the same manner as in the positioning bases (2, 12), or         that the subsets (4) are positioned relative to each other in         the same manner as in the positioning bases (2).

The first of the subsets (4, 14) to be stacked will be the one incorporating a flight of steps required to access the upper part of the subset (4, 14) and thereby allow removal of the hook from a crane used to lift said subset (4, 14).

The steps of assembling and stacking the assembled subset (4) are repeated as many times for each of the sections forming the concrete tower, as number of subsets (4) in the section in the event that this section is formed by subsets (4) in which permanent attachment (6) has been carried out between segments (1) prior to stacking, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, whereas for the case of a subset (14) formed by at least two diametrically opposite segments (11), it is necessary to perform a step of stacking of each of the remaining segments (11) of the section which are not part of the subset (14) assembled on the tower section immediately below.

Subsequent to the step of stacking each of the subsets (4) of the section, the method comprises a step of attachment performed between the section subsets (4), for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, or between the subset (14) and the remaining segments (11) section by arranging provisional attachment elements (5, 15), so as to provide the section with additional stability at least until carrying out the step of stacking the assembled subsets (4), or subsets (14) and remaining segments (11) of a section immediately above.

Such provisional attachment elements (5, 15) between subsets (4), or subsets (14) and remaining segments (11) may include lugs and hydraulic jacks arranged in accessible areas of the subsets (4), or of the subsets (14) and the remaining segments (11), at least one in the upper area of the section such that it is accessible from the top.

Subsequent to the step of attachment performed between the subset (14) of the section and the remaining segments (11) of the section by arranging provisional attachment elements (15) for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 14, the method comprises a step of removing the provisional attachment means (19) between the segments (11) of the subset (14).

The method further comprises a step of executing permanent attachments (6, 16) between subsets (4), or between subsets (14) and remaining segments (11), which are performed once all subsets (4, 14) and segments (11) which form all the sections of the concrete tower have been stacked and ensuring the proper positioning between them.

The method further comprises a step of provisional attachment between subsets or remaining segments and the lower section of the concrete tower once the step of stacking the assembled subset has been carried out.

The provisional attachment step is performed by means of provisional attachments that can be executed by mooring (20) at three points of the surface in contact with the lower surface at the height of the horizontal joint defined between them or with struts (21) taken to the opposite side of the lower section.

Preferably each of the sections is angularly staggered with respect to the lower section so that the permanent attachments (6, 16) do not run in a continuous line along the tower, improving the stability thereof.

Said step of executing the permanent attachments (6, 16) between subsets (4), or between subsets (14) and remaining segments (11), comprises a step of performing vertical concrete joints. In order that the mortar used in the vertical concrete joints is confined within an enclosed cavity, preassembled sealant elements or inflatable elements are placed along the vertical concrete joints as a formwork.

In turn, so that the mortar does not flow towards the horizontal joint between the sections, covers which inferiorly seal the vertical joints are arranged prior to the assembly of the upper section.

Preferably, the step of executing the permanent attachments (6, 16) between subsets (4), or between subsets (14) and remaining segments (11) is performed once a nacelle (7) of the wind turbine has been mounted.

Preferably, the method further comprises a step of executing permanent attachments (8, 18) between adjacent sections, which is performed subsequent to the step of executing permanent attachments (6, 16) between subsets (4), or between subsets (14) and the remaining segments (11), and more preferably, the step of executing the permanent attachments (8, 18) between adjacent sections is carried out from the highest section to the lowest section of the tower, wherein this step of execution of a permanent attachments (8, 18) between adjacent sections comprises a step of performing horizontal concrete joints. 

1. A method for the assembly of frustoconical concrete towers comprising the following steps: a step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a tower section formed by at least two segments in an area near the base of the tower; a step of assembling the subset of the tower section by joining at least two segments, such that the assembled subset is freestanding; and a step of stacking the assembled subset onto an immediately lower tower section.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a tower section comprises the following steps prior to the step of assembling the subset: a step of placing one by one all the segments forming the tower section in the area near the base of the tower at ground level; a step of positioning each of the segments forming the tower section in relation to the adjacent segments in a manner that ensures the dimensional tolerances of the finished section.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, prior to the step of stacking the assembled subset and subsequent to the step of positioning each of the segments that form the tower section: a step of arranging control elements to control the relative positioning between segments in areas of said segments accessible from tower platforms.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of arranging control elements to control the relative positioning between segments performs the identification, prior to stacking, of the reference position of the remaining segments of the section that are not part of the subset relative to said subset or of the reference position of subsets relative to each other.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising a step to control the relative positioning between segments subsequent to the step of stacking the section they form and prior to stacking the section immediately above, wherein it is ensured that the remaining segments are positioned relative to the subset according to the reference position identified by the relative positioning elements, i.e., in the same manner as in the area near the base of the tower at ground level, or that the subsets are positioned relative to each other in the same manner as in the in the area near the base of the tower at ground level.
 6. The method of claim 2 where in the area near the base of the tower-pre-assembly bases are provided, wherein the step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a tower section formed by at least two segments is carried out and wherein the method comprises: a step of preparing the pre-assembly bases where the horizontality and flatness of such pre-assembly bases are ensured and which further allows to ensure verticality and taper of the concrete tower prior to the step of placing one by one all the segments forming the tower section on the pre-assembly bases.
 7. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of placing and positioning of at least one subset of a tower section, comprises, between the step of placing one by one all the segments and the step of positioning each of the segments: a step of obtaining the verticality and taper of the concrete tower regarding said section, which in turn comprises a step of certifying the verticality of the tower which allows correction of relative positions between segments, and between segments and pre-assembly bases.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of stacking the assembled subset onto an immediately lower tower section comprises a step of positioning the subset at height.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of positioning the subset at height is performed by conducting a replica of the horizontal surface of the pre-assembly base on the upper surface of the immediately lower tower section prior to the step of stacking the assembled subset, by means of shims placed in three points per subset and/or segment, in predetermined angular positions which are the same for all sections.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein in those same angular positions where the shims are placed, wedges to control the verticality are placed, so that the sum of the horizontal surface defined by the shims plus that of the wedges will make it possible to replicate the position achieved in the pre-assembly base, once the subsets are stacked.
 11. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of stacking the assembled subset onto an immediately lower tower section comprises a step of checking the centre position of the subset to ensure its coincidence with the vertical axis of the tower or otherwise adjusting it to match.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein subsequently, another subset or the remaining segments are stacked, and are again positioned by means of the step to control the relative positioning between segments until the relative positioning control elements give the same position as in the pre-assembly bases.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein subsequent to the step of stacking for each of the subsets of the section, the method comprises a step of attachment between the subsets of the section or between the subset and the remaining segments of the section by arranging provisional attachment elements, so that the section is provided with additional stability at least until the step of stacking of the subsets or of the subsets and remaining segments of a section immediately above has been performed.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising a step of executing permanent attachments between subsets, or between subsets and remaining segments, which is performed once completed the stacking of all subsets and segments forming each section of the concrete tower.
 15. The method claim 14 wherein the step of executing permanent attachments between subsets, or between subsets and remaining segments comprises a step of performing vertical concrete joints.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of executing the permanent attachments between subsets, or between subsets and remaining segments is performed once a nacelle of the wind turbine has been mounted.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising a step of executing permanent attachments between adjacent sections performed subsequent to the step of executing the permanent attachments between subsets or between subsets and remaining segments.
 18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assembling the subset of the tower section by attaching at least two segments, such that the assembled subset is freestanding, is accomplished by attaching two adjacent segments.
 19. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assembling the subset of the tower section by attaching at least two segments, such that the assembled subset is freestanding, is accomplished by attaching two diametrically opposed segments.
 20. Concrete tower assembled using the method of claim
 1. 